Hydrogen is an efficient abundant and generally non-polluting energy source. However, there are difficulties in using hydrogen in motor vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. One difficulty or concern in such hydrogen applications is safety. Various safety problems may be encountered during implementation. For example, since hydrogen gas is highly volatile and rapidly disperses, safe piping or transmission of the gas can be difficult. Storage of large quantities of hydrogen gas can also be dangerous. On-site or mobile production of hydrogen gas can eliminate some of these problems.
Devices that electrolyze water and inject the resulting hydrogen and oxygen into a vehicle's intake have been touted as a means for saving gasoline. These devices have been promoted with claims of increasing gas mileage, torque, and the benefits of decreased emissions.
These devices are sometimes referred to as hydrogen generators, hydrogen boosters or HHO devices. The technology of these hydrogen production devices is based upon simple electrolysis of water, splitting the hydrogen from the oxygen. The fuel generator (also known as the electrolyzer, electrolysis chamber or fuel cell) breaks water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases, as well as other gasses from material formerly dissolved in the water. This is not new technology. Simple hydrogen gas devices have been around for years, most notably Stan Meyers had a device in the early 1980's which he demonstrated by running a dune buggy on nothing but water using an internal combustion engine. Mr. Meyers has a series of patents including U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,857 “Hydrogen Gas Fuel and Management System for an Internal Combustion Engine Utilizing Hydrogen Gas Fuel,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,407 “Process and Apparatus for the Production of Fuel Gas and The Enhanced Release of Thermal Energy from Such Gas,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,961 “Method for the Production of a Fuel Gas,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,304 Gas Electrical Hydrogen Generator,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,981 Hydrogen Gas Injector System For Internal Combustion Engine,” as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,661 “Gas Generator Voltage Control Circuit” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Driven by the rise in gasoline prices since 2005, a number of products have been introduced to the market that claim to successfully use hydrogen to save gasoline. There are also a number of websites that describe or compare the various available devices. One such website is ho-gas.org. In addition, there are a number of “how-to” books advertised for sale that describe building a mobile hydrogen gas production device.
There is a need to control or regulate the current provided to electrolysis chambers producing hydrogen and oxygen gases.